Stem-changing verbs are different from regular verbs ...senorspradley.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/4/9/13498335/stem_changin… · Stem-changing verbs are different from regular verbs because

Stem-changing verbs are different from regular verbs because when you conjugate these verbs, not only do you change the endings but you also change the stem (except for the nosotros form).

Quick Review: A verb has two parts - the stem and the ending. For example: pedir (to asl)

Ped + ir Stem Ending

In verbs that have an e to ie change, when you conjugate the verb, you change the ‘e’ in the stem to ‘ie’ in all forms except the nosotros form.

cerrar – to close comenzar – to begin empezar – to begin pensar – to think

Examples of e ie Stem-Changing verbs in the present tense:

entender – to understand perder – to lose querer – to want

preferir – to prefer referir – to refer sentir – to feel, to regret

Tener (to have) and Venir (to come) are also e-ie stem-changing verbs but these verbs have an irregular ‘yo’ form. TENER – to have

Yo tengo Nosotros tenemos Tú tienes

Él Ella tiene Usted

Ellos Ellas tienen Ustedes

VENIR – to come Yo vengo Nosotros venimos Tú vienes

Él Ella viene Usted

Ellos Ellas vienen Ustedes

In verbs that have an o to ue change, when you conjugate the verb, you change the ‘o’ in the stem to ‘ue’ in all forms except the nosotros form.

almorzar – to eat lunch contar– to count colgar – to hang costar – to cost encontrar – to meet to find mostrar – to show recordar – to remember volar – to fly

Examples of o ue Stem-Changing verbs in the present tense:

poder – to be able to volver – to return llover – to rain

dormir – to sleep

In the verb, Jugar (to play) the stem-change is u - ue. Jugar – to play

Yo juego Nosotros jugamos Tú juegas

Él Ella juega Usted

Ellos Ellas juegan Ustedes

In verbs that have an e to i change, when you conjugate the verb, you change the ‘e’ in the stem to ‘i’ in all forms except the nosotros form.

pedir – to ask for, to order repetir – to repeat servir – to serve seguir – to follow, to continue conseguir – to get

Examples of e i Stem-Changing verbs in the present tense:

The verbs Seguir (to follow, to continue) and Conseguir (to get) are e-i stem-changing verbs but these verbs have an irregular ‘yo’ form. You drop the letter ‘u’ in the Yo form. SEGUIR – to follow, to continue

Yo sigo Nosotros seguimos Tú sigues

Él Ella sigue Usted

Ellos Ellas siguen Ustedes

CONSEGUIR – to get Yo consigo Nosotros conseguimos

Tú consigues

Él Ella consigue Usted

Ellos Ellas consiguen Ustedes